Adjustable, maintenance-free toilet bowl air vacuum system

ABSTRACT

The invention is called Adaptable, Maintenance Free Toilet Bowl Air Vacuum System. It addresses the need of people for smell-free toilet experience and for conserving water by providing an effective way to remove contaminated air inside the toilet bowl without changing any parts of most current toilets before it can get a chance to irritate toilet users. The prior art in the field this invention pertains is either using an independent system, or redesigning of current toilet, or a toilet seat to suck away the air in the bowl and has made it too complicated and too expensive to be practical for every day use and maintenance. The Adaptable, Maintenance Free Toilet Bowl Air Vacuum System has solved the problem and the benefit of the this invention is not only the contaminated-air-free experience while using the toilet, but also saving water by eliminating the need for user to flush the toilet in the middle of using the toilet. The invention is to use an exhaust fan to vacuum air in the bowl out through the overflow pipe in a toilet tank or its equivalent The exhaust fan will be turned on and off by a buoyant force/weight controlled electric switch inside the tank as water level goes up and down, or it remains on while a float controlled stick pull open an air inlet in the cover as the water level goes down. The implementation of the invention can be done through three approaches as detailed in the Specification of the Invention.

The invention is called Adaptable, Maintenance Free Toilet Bowl AirVacuum System. It effectively addresses the need of people forsmell-free toilet experience and economically provides an efficient wayto remove contaminated air before it gets out of toilet bowl withoutchanging any parts of most current toilets.

The prior art of the field this invention pertains is either tooexpensive or too complicated to be practical for mass production andevery day use as well as maintenance. The Adaptable, Maintenance FreeToilet Bowl Air Vacuum System has solved the problem and the benefit ofthe this invention is not only the contaminated-air-free experiencewhile using the toilet, but also saving water by eliminating the needfor user to flush the toilet in the middle of using the toilet.

The invention is to use the overflow pipe or its equivalent in the watertank current in use to vacuum contaminated air in the bowl out throughan exhaust fan turned on and off by a buoyant force weight controlledelectric switch inside the tank as water level goes up and down. Theimplementation of the invention can be done through three approaches asdetailed below.

The first approach is the best recommended approach which includes awater tank cover with underlining layer made of soft seal material orstructure to insulate the water tank when it is used to cover the watertank, a buoyant force/weight controlled electric switch, a section offlexible pipe to connect exhaust fan and the inside of the tank as wellas extended pipes to dispose the contaminated air from the bowl out ofreach.

Drawing 1 shows that the water tank cover has an underlining around thefan housing area to form the contact seal when the cover is put on atank. The fan housing area is a frame for the exhaust fan to be insertedwith inlet open to the inside of the tank and the outlet connected toextended pipe. The switch is independently put inside the tank withwires connected to the fan.

Drawing 2 shows that the water tank cover can also be made with asection of pipe going through from one edge of the cover to the centerto link both inside space of the tank and the exhaust fan installedoutside. The seal part is the attached underlining. The switch isindependently put inside the tank with wires connected to the fan.

Drawing 3 shows that the cover can also be made adjustable for watertanks of all sizes. The retractable sticks on each side have hooked endsto hold on to the four edges of a water tank. The elastic materialinstalled on the top of the cover can be pulled outside enough to landtightly on outside upper edges of the tank to form seal. There can havea housing in the middle of the said cover for the exhaust fan or have asection of pipe going through the said cover to connect the faninstalled outside with the inside space of the tank. There is an elasticcircular part attached on the top surface around the four sides of thecover that can be stretched outside to land tightly on the outer sidesof the water tank to form the seal necessary for the system implementedthrough this approach.

Drawing 4 shows the view of an independent switch.

Drawing 5 shows the components of the buoyant force/weight controlledelectric switch without adjustable clip set. The switch consists of aninsulated housing for the switch contacts, a spring for forcing positiveand native current contacts to connect, and a small housing filled withgrease to allow the driving stick driven by the buoyant force/weightfloat to go through a hole through the small housing freely withoutletting in air or water as well as a section of soft rope that links thedriving stick to one of the two current contacts.

Drawing 6 shows a buoyant force/weight controlled switch with anadjustable clip set fixed on top of the weight control float. It has allthe parts as the Drawing 5 shows except for the adjustable clip setinstalled on the buoyant force/weight float to provide capability ofswitching on the fan as soon as the water level starts to go up afterflushing.

Drawing 7 shows a cover with a housing for an exhaust fan in the middle.

Drawing 8 shows a cover with a section of duct installed through the topto the bottom of the cover that serves to connect the outside installedexhaust fan and the inside space of a tank.

Drawing 9 shows that an alternative tank cover has a hole through itfrom one side to the center of the cover with a section of pipe fixedinside the hole to let air go through when the end opening of the pipeis connected to an exhaust fan hooked on one side of the tank. This isused in an embodiment where the exhaust fan is placed outside the tank.

Drawing 16 and 17 show the two variations of replacing the switch withan opening in the cover that can be opened and closes by a buoyantforce/weight controlled mechanism as the water level changes in thetank.

The second approach is to add a contact seal pipe connector (Drawing 10)on top of the overflow pipe or its equivalent in the tank and the otherend opening of the connector to an exhaust fan through the water tankcover by a section of flexible pipe. The buoyant force/weight float thatcontrols the electric switch is formed in such a way that the floatcomes in two parts that can go up and down two stabilizing sticks heldtogether by a base and the connector on the top of the overflow pipe orits equivalent.

Drawing 10 shows that the overflow contact seal connector has a gridcontact surface in the shape of a bowl facing down to adapt itself todifferent size of overflow pipe. The connector has a circular shapedsoft pad adhered to the grid face to form the contact seal when theconnector is put on the overflow pipe. On another side it has a slotwith a soft belt seal along it that allows a thin stick to slide insideto the center. The water supply tube can be inserted into an inside thinpipe to function as it should be. The other end of the connector isconnected to a section of flexible duct that connects with the sectionof pipe in the cover when the fan is hooked outside or the air inlet ofthe fan inserted in the housing in the middle of the water tank cover.

Drawing 11 shows that the combination of buoyant force/weight controlledswitch and the overflow float for pushing up the overflow contact sealconnector in case water level is higher than normal. The switch ishooked on a fork on top of one of the two stabilizing sticks. When thefloat goes up before reaching the connector, it will push driving rod upand release the switch spring to bounce back to turn on the switchagain. The stabilizing sticks and the stabilizing base together with theconnector on top of the overflow pipe will hold the combinationtogether. There are clipping hooks on the flexible duct to allow fixingthe said duct out of way of other parts of the flushing systemfunctioning normally. The cover can also comes in two types: one withinserted exhaust fan in its housing for the purpose; the other withsection of duct go through itself to connect the inlet of an exhaust faninstalled outside separately with the space inside the tank The watertank cover does not need seal underlining.

Drawing 12 shows this approach with a cover with housing for an exhaustfan in the middle.

Drawing 13 shows this approach with a cover with a pipe going throughitself to connect an exhaust fan installed outside to the inside spaceof a tank.

Drawing 18, Drawing 19 and Drawing 20 show two variations of replacingthe switch with an opening, covered by two half lids or a sliding ring,chosen relative to the shape and position of the opening, with sealedges, on the overflow contact seal connector, operated by the buoyantforce/weight controlled mechanism as the water level changes in thetank.

The third approach applies to power pressure pipe flushing system usedmostly for toilets in nonresidential buildings. It contains a three-waypipe connector with a valve inside to let water through and block theway for air the same time while the flushing water flushes down. Thevalve also carries a driving stick inside the pipe to turn off theswitch installed on the other end of the pipe. The exhaust fan isconnected to the same pipe near the switch. The outlet of the exhaustfan connects to an extended pipe to dispose the contaminated air out ofreach. An alternative variation of approach is to do away with theelectric switch by replacing it with just an opening in the pipe coveredby a rubber seal lid that can be pushed open by the said valve drivenstick.

Drawing 14 shows the inner working of this approach applied in anembodiment.

Drawing 15 shows a variation of the approach by replacing the electricswitch by an opening in the pipe covered with a rubber seal lid that canbe pushed open by the said valve driven stick.

The best embodiment consists of a tank cover that has retractableextending arms and elastic seal skirt around the edge of the said cover,an exhaust fan that can be inserted into a housing in the middle of thesaid tank cover or hooked on one side a water tank or elsewhere,sections of flexible pipe to connect the exhaust fan with the inside ofthe said water tank, a soft insulation layer on the back of the saidcover extending from the sides of the said cover to the housing in thecover or relative position, a buoyant force/weight controlled electricswitch that is connected with the fan or an opening in the cover thatcan be turned open by a stick driven by the floats without theabove-said switch.

1. The Adjustable, Maintenance-free Toilet Air Vacuum System has anspecially manufactured water tank cover with an exhaust fan inserted inthe middle operated by a buoyant force/weight controlled electricswitch, The said cover has an underlining made of soft insulationmaterial to contact the edge of water tank, and the exhaust fan has itsair inlet open into the inside of a water tank and its air outletconnected with outside pipe for the purpose of disposal of thecontaminated air, an alternative of the approach is to do away with theelectric switch by replacing it with just an opening and a lid on thesaid opening in the cover that can be pushed open by a similar buoyantforce/weight driven mechanism; or
 2. The Adjustable, Maintenance-freeToilet Air Vacuum System includes a buoyant weight force controlledexhaust pipe set on top of the overflow pipe opening with the other endof the pipe set connected to exhaust fan when the fan is inserted in ahousing in the middle of a water tank cover, or connected to an openingin the water tank cover when a fan is hung outside the water tank,operated by a buoyant force weight controlled electric switch, analternative of the approach is to do away with the electric switch byreplacing it with a twin lids on the half side, which is open, of thesaid end connector to be put on the overflow pipe turned open and closeby the floats with adjustable clips on each of the two floats as waterlevel goes up and down; or
 3. The Adjustable, Maintenance-free ToiletAir Vacuum System can be modified for use in power pressure flushingsystem. The said modified system has a valve blocking released flushingwater from coming into the pipe that is connected on one end to theflushing pipe through a three way connector where the said valve isinstalled and the said valve will shut off the exhaust fan by pushing astick it carries controlling an electric switch. A spring on the stickwill spring back and carry the stick back to turn on the switch again.An alternative of the approach is to do away with the electric switch byreplacing it with just an opening in the pipe covered by a rubber seallid that can be pushed open by the said valve driven stick.
 4. Basedupon claim 1, an embodiment features: the underlining of the water tankcover is made of insulated sponge, rubber, air filled cushion, waterfilled cushion or anything else similar that can form insulation when incontact with the edges of a water tank, in the middle of which is anopening with rubber seal around its edge for housing an exhaust fan withits inlet opening facing down into the inside of a water tank when it isinstalled. Or there is just a section of pipe going through the saidcover and the exhaust fan is installed outside instead.
 5. Based onclaim 1, the buoyant force weight controlled electric switch consists ofan insulated housing for the switch contacts, a spring for securing theconnection of positive and native current contacts, and a small housingfilled with grease to allow the driving stick driven by the buoyantweight to go through a hole through the small housing freely withoutletting in air or water. A section of soft rope that links the drivingstick to one of the two current contacts. An adjustable clip set fixedon top of the weight control float to provide capability of switching onthe fan as soon as the water level starts to go up after flushing. 6.Based on claim 2, an embodiment contains a water tank cover that has inthe middle an opening with rubber seal frame in which an exhaust fan canbe inserted with one outlet opening connected with outside pipe fordisposal, the other inlet opening facing down into a housing connectedto one end of a flexible duct whose other end is a contact sealconnector to be put on top of the overflow pipe in the water tank to letair sucked away from the bowl through the overflow pipe in the tank. Analternative cover design is to just have a pipe go through the saidcover with one end connected to the overflow pipe contact seal connectorinside the tank and the other end connected to the inlet of an exhaustfan installed outside the tank.
 7. Based on claim 2, the exhaust fan isalso connected in one electric circuit with buoyant force weightcontrolled electric switch hooked on two stabilizing sticks that gothrough holes on two sides of the overflow pipe contact seal connectoron top and are held firmly at bottom by a base that comes in two partseach holding one end of a stick and can be clipped on each other to formthe whole base. The buoyant force weight control for both the saidconnector and said switch is done by two floats that have holes to letthe stabilizing sticks go through freely so that the float can go up anddown freely to control both the switch and the overflow contact sealconnector as water level changes when a flushing is activated. The saidcontact seal connector has a section of thin pipe go through the part ontop of overflow pipe to receive the water supply to wash the overflowpipe as usual.
 8. Based claim 1 and 2, the most preferred embodimentshould include the following: a tank cover that has retractableextending arms and elastic seal skirt around the edge of the said cover,an exhaust fan that can be inserted into a housing in the middle of thesaid tank cover or hooked on one side of a water tank or elsewhere,sections of flexible pipe to connect the exhaust fan with the inside ofthe said water tank, a soft insulation layer on the back of the saidcover extending from the sides of the said cover to the housing in thecover or relative position, a buoyant force/weight controlled electricswitch is connected with the fan or an opening in the cover that can beturned open by a stick driven by the floats without the above-saidswitch.
 9. Based on claim 7, the buoyant force weight controlledelectric switch an embodiment has consists of two buoyant weight floatswith a hole in the middle of each, each hole of which allows one end ofa stick go through itself and through an small opening on each side ofthe contact seal connector for overflow pipe with one of the two sticksalso has a hook on its upper part on which the said switch can be hookedand could be pushed up from bottom along the hook, because of which thehole in the weight float that let the same stick through should be bigenough to allow the above mentioned movement, and the another end ofeach of the sticks connected to a base set that comes in two parts whichcan be clipped on each other to form a stabilizing base supporting thewhole set of the said switch and weight floats and the overflow pipecontact seal connector.